So there I was, preparing myself for meditation. I felt the rhythm of the drum beat flow over me as I cleared my mind in anticipation. I could feel the collective excitement of the class as we each embarked on our own adventure. Some of us would climb mountains, others would search the forest and a few would have to explore the depths of the ocean to find their spirit animal. We were each on the adventure of a lifetime… we were on our way to meeting our spirit animal. It was on this quest that I found and claimed the elephant as my spirit animal. The answer was not immediately clear, however, and I found myself scared. What if I was not able to find my spirit animal? After everything that had happened this semester, I did not know what to expect. Coming to college has completely flipped my life upside down. New friends, new experiences and, more importantly, new hardships that I have had to overcome. Finding my spirit animal was a relief, but I knew that before I could truly accept it I needed to learn more about it, starting with understanding the history of spirit animals and leading to connecting with my spirit animal and applying it’s characteristics to my life. I wanted to learn more about what having a spirit animal meant meant. Starting with the zodiac animals, I researched how spirit animals have influenced history. The idea of having a totem animal is persistent throughout human culture and I found that almost every society has believed in animals as guiding spirits, ranging from the inventive Chinese and the spiritual Native Americans, or the pious Indians and exotic African cultures. Such a universal theme in history is hard to overlook as coincidence.    [8] The famous Zodiac animals 
 Our spirit animals are independent of religion and region, as exemplified by the Chinese belief in the Zodiac animals. The Chinese have believed in guiding spirits for millennia, living under their influence and learning from the wisdom of the animal. “The Chinese Zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao in Chinese, is based on a twelve year cycle, each year in that cycle related to an animal sign.” [1] This is the most famous example of spirit animals yet I disagree with their system of assigning an animal based on one’s date of birth. I feel like this method is an arranged marriage: I had no say in which animal would watch over me yet I am expected to accept a stranger as my guide. Without the freedom of choice, I feel connecting under such an arbitrary system is ineffective so I sought out other methods. I found my spirit animal by following the example of the Native Americans. Upon their coming of age, many young men and women were sent out into the wild to be consumed by nature and return after a few days as a new spirit. Their process of being reborn was a spiritual one, requiring intense meditation and a strong resolution in order to survive the process. [13] We live in different times, however, and the hardships we go through on our quest has changed. College is the new wilderness, and this is where we go through our trials. Mid-terms and essays are only the beginning. Every day we each face new problems and have to adapt to survive. Now that I am in college, it is rather comforting to know that I have a spirit animal to help guide the way. This is the age at which our government has decided we are mentally mature and capable of living independently… the age at which we get pushed out of the nest and sent to live on our own. Sink or swim, we must join the fight for survival. At least we don’t have to do it alone.   [9] Elephants passionately defend their young and watch out for their families. Everyone has a spirit animal that watches over and guides their life. Others in our class have found theirs and are rightfully excited. We have representatives from every side of the spectrum, from daring cheetahs to graceful deer; from brave wolves to wise fireflies. Our new discovery helps us learn a little bit more about who we are – our animals become a part of our identities. Now that I have been reborn, I look at the world through new eyes.  I claim the elephant as my spirit animal. As a symbol of strength and wisdom, the elephant deserves the respect of those who worship it, for the animal represents the “symbol of the highest true self” [2] in the humans who seek its power. The elephant is the power ranger’s secret weapon [7] As a devastating weapon of war, the elephant was widely respected for its dormant power that somehow coexists with such a gentle spirit. These gentle giants have the power to crush any opponent yet they are vegetarian and are rarely aggressive – they only use their strength to fend off predators and protect their community. I feel that this is the primary reason why the elephant was chosen to symbolize the “God of Warriors” [2] in the Indian culture. To protect one’s family, community and honor is the noblest goals of a warrior. To have the ability to conquer through brute force but instead choosing a peaceful life is the highest aspiration of a leader. I feel very elephantine whenever I refuse to act aggressively and instead take the high road – using diplomacy to solve conflicts. College brings new conflicts, especially with everyone living in such close quarters. Living with a roommate has been tough to adjust to, but rarely do I ever have to butt heads with mine. I hear roommate horror-stories from friends and feel thankful that diplomacy had helped me avoid stories of my own. The elephant has been watching out for me since day one. Not only is the elephant physically strong but mentally fit as well: elephants are extremely hard working and work with a passion most other animals lack. I try to follow the example of the elephant by putting passion into everything I do. I try to engage myself in conversation and talk animatedly. The extra effort rarely goes unnoticed and leads to livelier discussions and helps me turn strangers into new friends. I put the same effort into my school assignments, both big and small. Oftentimes I overcommit to a project and find myself adding too much and going too far, leading me to missing deadlines and feeling constrained by time limits. This is where I can certainly learn from the elephant – time management is something I have yet to master. I feel a connection to my animal because we both work hard and play hard, always trying to imbue passion in our daily lives. [6] Elephantine determination I share many other traits with my spirit animal and I hope to one day share its same level of mastery. The elephant’s incredible intellect and mental fortitude lends itself well as a symbol for wisdom and dignity. [2] Respected by all, the elephant totem grants ancient wisdom and power to its followers to draw upon. It embodies strength and power (some would even say gives a high libido). I identify with the elephant because it is a social animal. Rarely found alone in the wild, the elephant has strong family ties and makes lasting commitments to its tribe. The elephant takes family very seriously, often becoming very involved in any community it joins. Rarely will an elephant stand back and let things happen; they instead take action in the wild and will passionately fight for what they believe in. [3] The elephant is confident. It is very sure of itself and knows how to react to any situation. This inner confidence allows the elephant to handle new situations with hardly any break in its stride. Usually calm and cool, the elephant is capable of assessing danger and usually avoids getting in a temper and worked up over small problems. In Buddhism, the elephant “serves as a symbol of the calm majesty possessed by one who is on the path.” [3] The elephant is truly an animal worthy of praise and I try to live up to the high standards set by my animal.       [12]   The myths involving the Elephant have changed history and served to correct injustice. [5] I have much to learn from my new guide, and I am glad that the elephant has accepted me as a follower of its wisdom. From the book, Animal-speak, I learned about the honor of the elephant and it’s responsibility to protect and defend. “While staying aware of your connection with the divine, also stay down to earth, enjoying pleasures of your senses and appreciating the richness of your family friends and community.” [3] I agree with this ideal and hope to use the wisdom of the elephant in all of my interactions. We have much to learn from our animals and they can help us to change our lives.    [10] Majestic elephants captured in stone College is a tough time, full of difficult decisions as each of us experiences a completely new world. I have personally found that there is never enough time to accomplish everything I set initially dreamed. I came to UT thinking I could join a fraternity and row crew with a bit of extra time for volunteering, all while keeping up with two honors programs. I quickly found out how naïve I was and took a good, hard look at my life.. I’ve had to rearrange my priorities and drop all but the most important things in my life, but I am happy where I am now. I am trying to get back on top of life, and I feel that with my elephant totem by my side I can change my life here at UT. My spirit animal lends me strength and shares its wisdom as I go through the many trials of UT and fraternity life. [11] The elephant has survived the test of time. I understand the responsibility that comes with having a spirit animal. I am glad to have been given this opportunity. I am thankful that I had such an experienced teacher to guide me through my spiritual quest. I hope that the elephant will watch over me throughout my life as help me overcome whatever challenges I may face in the future. The elephant has helped many people before me and I hope that it can do the same for me. I was reborn as an elephant on September 22, a date that will forever lodge itself in my memory.   [6] unafraid of dressing like a mad man [6] Elephant in the Wild Bibliography [1] Chinese Zodiac: 12 Chinese Signs. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/ [2] Elephant Statues. http://www.statue.com/elephant-statues.html [3] Buddhist Symbols. http://viewonbuddhism.org/general_symbols_buddhism.html [4] Bump Anthology [5] Andrews, Ted. Animal Speak: The spiritual & magical powers of creatures great & small. Woodbury: Llewellyn Publications, 2009. [6] Facebook [7] Power Rangers Furia Selvagem Elephant Spirit Summon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0dHxpeWk8A&feature=player_detailpage#t=5s [8] http://www.austinschools.org/campus/pillow/images/chinese-astrology.gif" [9] http://spiritcaat.com/spiritcaatblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/elephants-300x225.jpg [10] http://www.khandro.net/images/4elecaryatid2.jpg [11] http://nathanbauman.com/odysseus/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Stone-elephant-in-Richmonds-Thrangu-Monastery.jpg [12] http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3626/2340/1600/Elephant.jpg [13] Wilhelm Joseph Von Schelling, Friedrich. Clara: Or, on Nature's Connection to the Spirit World (Suny Series in Contemporary Continental Philosophy). State University of New York Press. 2002-09 
 http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/http://www.statue.com/elephant-statues.htmlhttp://viewonbuddhihttp://viewonbuddhihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0dHxpeWk8A&feature=player_detailpage%22%20%5Cl%20%22t=5shttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0dHxpeWk8A&feature=player_detailpage%22%20%5Cl%20%22t=5shttp://www.austinschools.org/campus/pillow/images/chinese-astrology.gifhttp://www.austinschools.org/campus/pillow/images/chinese-astrology.gifhttp://spiritcaat.com/spiritcaatblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/elephants-300x22http://spiritcaat.com/spiritcaatblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/elephants-300x22http://www.khandro.net/images/4elecaryatid2.jpghttp://nathanbauman.com/odhttp://nathanbauman.com/odhttp://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3626/230_Living_the_Life_of_an_Elephant_files/Elephant.jpg.pdfshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2shapeimage_4_link_3shapeimage_4_link_4shapeimage_4_link_5shapeimage_4_link_6shapeimage_4_link_7shapeimage_4_link_8shapeimage_4_link_9shapeimage_4_link_10shapeimage_4_link_11shapeimage_4_link_12shapeimage_4_link_13shapeimage_4_link_14